cloudy gauges
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 515
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From: St. Paul MN
cloudy gauges
My friend has a '65 vette convertable. Had it restored and now the gauges look cloudy inside of the glass. It was in the shop so long he can't remember if they were that way before the restore. Does anyone have an answer as to why? Thanks Bill58.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Jim,
Some of the last GM small gauge lenses were cloudy did they install new ones. I remember going thru them to pick out good ones and sending the others back.
This is probably not the case. The lenses are hard to clean unless you remove them from the housing and use some good glass cleaner. If the gauges were not removed from the car and the lenses were not cleaned while at the shop I would have to guess they were probably that way when the car went in.
Willcox
Some of the last GM small gauge lenses were cloudy did they install new ones. I remember going thru them to pick out good ones and sending the others back.
This is probably not the case. The lenses are hard to clean unless you remove them from the housing and use some good glass cleaner. If the gauges were not removed from the car and the lenses were not cleaned while at the shop I would have to guess they were probably that way when the car went in.
Willcox
Pro
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 568
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From: Pittsburgh
just went through the same thing. I had my cluster done years ago and over time the lenses clouded up. unfortunately the only way to take care of it is pull the cluster and remove the gouges and clan the lenses, which i had done. the guy told me there was dust on the inside of the lense and he has never seen that before. just a simple wiping and they looked like new.
it cost me (since i do not do my own work) but it was worth every dime because to me that is the only thing we the driver get to see when we are using the car. The rest of the people get to admire them as we drive by but the clusrt is really all we see.
it cost me (since i do not do my own work) but it was worth every dime because to me that is the only thing we the driver get to see when we are using the car. The rest of the people get to admire them as we drive by but the clusrt is really all we see.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 352
Likes: 0
just went through the same thing. I had my cluster done years ago and over time the lenses clouded up. unfortunately the only way to take care of it is pull the cluster and remove the gouges and clan the lenses, which i had done. the guy told me there was dust on the inside of the lense and he has never seen that before. just a simple wiping and they looked like new.
it cost me (since i do not do my own work) but it was worth every dime because to me that is the only thing we the driver get to see when we are using the car. The rest of the people get to admire them as we drive by but the clusrt is really all we see.
it cost me (since i do not do my own work) but it was worth every dime because to me that is the only thing we the driver get to see when we are using the car. The rest of the people get to admire them as we drive by but the clusrt is really all we see.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58,061
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Army
Its always a good idea to take loads of pictures before (and after for that matter) any restoration work. Then you friend could say for sure if the gauges were cloudy before the shop started on the car....and it can save a lot of 'finger pointing'...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: North Carolina "life is good"
2025 c3 ('68-'73) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Just had my '66 gauge cluster out. One of the main reasons was for dirty/faded gauges. The lens are glass ( at least on my '66 they were ) except the clock. They cleaned up pretty well in the kitchen sink using dishwashing liquid. I did purchase a lens "seal kit" for the reinstall but that basically is just rubber insulators that hold the glass in place. They do not seal the gauge cavity. I can tell you years of dust and dirt settle behind the glass and the only way is to take them apart and clean them up.
Now being in a body shop environment with lots of airborn dust may have made things worse.
Now being in a body shop environment with lots of airborn dust may have made things worse.
